Two Months In
by Lady Verity
Summary: Thoughts from the founders, in the early days of dear old Hogwarts. Trust me, it'll make you smile, so what're you waiting for?


**Just a little something in honor of the seventh movie and all. Enjoy, and an afternoon with your favorite founder if you review!**

A few thoughts from the founders, in the early days of Hogwarts:

Godric

It's been years since I've felt like this- too long. The last time was- I can't even remember. After the Scottish thing? (And about that, Rowena, so you know, I found out what the Latin means. Salazar told me. It really isn't funny, Rowena, love, and we're not using it for the motto. Besides, I beat it in the end, didn't I? Don't I have the boots, the gloves, the binding on all those books to prove it?) But yeah, that would have to have been the last time I felt so _charged_ for something. And this'll last longer- well, here's hoping it'll last longer, anyway.

I know I had some doubts at first, but that was before we had this place. The forest, the lake- I think we should set up expeditions. The students can miss class for a few hours for something like that. I've already got most of my lot ready to head into the forest, and if I could just get a few who could manage a decent Bubble Head, we could see what that rubbery thing is in the lake . . . ah, maybe some of Rowena's can teach them. They're always good at things like that (although you don't have to keep reminding me, Rowena. I know they're clever, and so are you. Everyone knows it, just like they know you're pretty- I mean, in a usual sort of way, you know). Helga's crew is usually game, and Salazar's should like it, they've been asking about that lake more than anyone. Maybe their common room has a good view? Sal still won't tell me where he put the damn thing, he must still be upset about the salamanders. And after the pranks we've pulled these years! No trust, no trust at all. Although maybe, after what he did with that niffler in the tower, I did put my base in too obvious a spot . . .

Oh! That reminds me! We could have flying lessons from the towers, as soon as I get us some brooms . . .

Rowena

It feels so good to get a moment of peace. I can't believe how many showed up for my arithmancy lecture- it makes me think I picked my students well. There are so many things here I would change- for starters, I would get rid of that ridiculous game between my students and Helga's and Godric's and Salazar's. I don't know why we had to get them started on "houses" anyway. At least mine are mostly too intelligent to take it as anything more than a game- some of the others can get so fierce about it, even Helga's, and she's usually so even-tempered.

But this library, this I'd never change. Or the towers, or the place where we keep the owls, or that little room in North Tower, even if we haven't figured out what to do with it yet. The noise will take some getting used to, though, in the whole school- it's even louder than I expected. I don't know why we had to start them at eleven; it's too young. And there's Godric, egging them on, trying to get them all to fly out a window, or something. But- and I've only ever told this to Helga and myself- I am sort of glad he's up to his ridiculousness, whatever I tell him. There is no one else who can make me laugh like that man. And despite the noise, and the fact that not half as much studying gets done around here as it should, and those staircases I can never figure out- really, I think this is probably the happiest I've ever been.

Helga

It actually happened. This was mine- my dream, my idea, my axe to grind- and it actually happened. And it's still hard to believe sometimes.

I don't mean to sound too self-important, really I don't. It's just that- well, after Rowena wanted a select academy, and Godric was against having a fixed location (he said for security- I think he just wanted to keep up his adventures, but with a band of followers), and Salazar brought up all these worries of his, I almost wished I'd never suggested a school in the first place. But- and I remember the day down to what I was wearing- they were bickering at it and I just blurted out, "It's going to be a school. Not an academy, not a mobile training camp, but a school, to teach anyone and everyone who has the talent and wants to learn. And that's what we're going to do," and it was the first time I'd said anything since we came up with the idea and everyone was quiet for a minute. And then Salazar said, "I'm in."

Salazar. Everyone was surprised when we told them. It's different from Rowena and Godric- you can see that a mile away. With us it's quieter. A smile here, a joke there. And that one time, when he was the first to call in for Hogwarts. And I suppose it wouldn't seem like it made much sense- why would that madwoman, daughter of a blacksmith and homegrown witch, be marrying that reactionary, the paranoid, acerbic seventh-generation warlock? What could they see in each other? But they don't know how long it's been, how many years since I first saw his sharp-edged smile and how his black eyes lit up when he was happy, and went over to talk to him. And how long since he first said to me, "I'm Salazar. And I have a feeling I should know you," and that was that for us. At the end of the day, he and I know each other better than anyone else.

So that's the wedding next year, and maybe our own family soon enough. But until then? It's hard to complain- I live in a castle with my nearly one thousand children, plus ghosts and owls and my best friends in the world. And I made that happen.

Salazar

This is probably the worst idea in the world, but I really hope it works. How will we keep them all safe, with so few of us and teir using their powers left and right? And the ones who haven't grown up on it, even from one parent- I still can't believe we're actually doing that. They can't be expected to hide something like this from their parents, and if the Muggle parents say something to their friends- "Oh you won't believe what little Lizzie learned at school, she can turn a tea kettle into a goldfish, she's a witch you know,"- well, our whole world falls like dominoes if that happens even once more than we can catch. Just one Memory Charm too few. And it's a pity, some of them, the ones who didn't grow up on it, have extraordinary talent, but I don't see what we can do.

I suppose it's not even my issue, really, although the few in my classes from Muggle families all seem like they'll be discreet at home, I don't trust Godric's lot an inch- even the ones from old wizard families are likely to come bursting on a broom in the middle of Surrey. I still haven't forgotten the salamanders. Although I think the niffler was a nice retaliation. And he'll never find the common room- or the emergency escape route I installed. He says I'm paranoid anyway; they all do. At least for now it'll make a good place to store that egg until it hatches and I can see if it's dangerous. I'm sure it can't get loose from the escape chamber. If it is a snake like I think, I hope it'll at least be decent conversation- what's the use of talking to snakes when so few snakes have anything to say?

Ah, maybe I should never have let Helga talk me into this. But . . . well, she believes in this all so much. And if you'd seen how bright her brown eyes got, how she put us in our place even though she hates a fight, the way her curly hair had come loose . . . you'd have done the same thing, you would have. She'll never give up on this one, no matter how much we all fight- she means it for good. I don't care what Godric did to that dragon; she was always the bravest of us all, Helga.


End file.
